Rebel Fighters Recapture Lost Positions in Rural Latakia

Rebel fighters launched a counter-offensive on Sunday to recapture the positions they lost to pro-regime forces over the past few days. Activists said that rebel reinforcements from Idlib and Hama began to arrive Sunday to Mount Turkmen in rural Latakia.

In the early hours of this morning, rebel fighters began the counter-offensive with a barrage of heavy artillery and mortar fire on regime positions, followed by a ground attack. Rebel fighters were able to recapture two hills and two villages in Mount Turkmen, while violent clashes continue to rage on the outskirts of the village of Al-Khadra.

Rebel fighters also captured the villages of Zira’a and AlKamiya near Minnagh airbase after violent clashes with the Jaish al-Thuwar and the PYD militias. Violent clashes also continue to rage near the town of Harbnafsa in southern rural Hama between rebel fighters and regime forces alongside intense aerial bombardment by the Russian air force on rebel positions.

Activists reported that rebel fighters destroyed a tank, heavy machine guns and a military truck belonging to regime forces on the outskirts of the town. Regime forces reportedly suffered heavy losses during the ongoing clashes, while rebel fighters targeted regime positions in the nearby town of Jadrin with mortar shells. (Source: Syrian Coalition)